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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus's Journey
In 1492 Columbus set out to find the East Indies but ended up in the Bahamas. Even though the exact date is questionable and Columbus didn't quite discover what he was looking for, his findings opened up a huge oppurtunity for other explorers. Without his accidental discovery of the new world, hundreds of voyagers after him wouldn't have been pushed to venture out into new territory, including more of the U.S. -
Jamestown's Establishment
Settlers of the Jamestown colony landed in Virginia on May 14th, 1607. This colony became the first permanent British colony in the Americas. -
First Slaves Brought to America
The actual date is unknown, but the first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. They were used to produce crops, such as tobacco. The slaves helped jumpstart the economy in America. With the introduction of African slaves, other colonies were invited to begin using their own slaves for labor. This event truely started slavery in America, which shaped many invents in our history including the Civil War. -
The House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was established in Virginia and first met on July 19th, 1630. This was the first representive government in North America. -
The Mayflower Compact
While on the Journey to America, the pilgrims wrote and signed the Mayfloer compact. This compact was a written statement on how the colonists would govern themselves once they landed in Plymouth. The Mayflower Compact was the first step towards a written constitution in America. -
Maryland Toleration Act
The Maryland Toleration Act was passed in order to bring religious toleration to all practices of Christianity in Maryland. Even though Jews and Athiests were not tolerated under the act, this was the first real law of its kind. This influenced the first amendment and eventually led to the religious tolerence which we have in our country today. -
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French and Indian War
Due to increasing tensions between the French and the British over the colonization of the Ohio River Valley, the French and Indian war erupted in 1754. After the war was over, the British began to tax the colonists in order to pay for the massive debt which accumulated. This was the beginning of "taxation without representation" which started the American Revolution. -
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Stamp Act Congress
After the Stamp Acts were passed in 1765, a congress of 27 delegates met in order to discuss how they should respond. This congress was the first true unified colonial meeting after the failed attempt at the Albany Congress. -
The Boston Tea Party
Some Americans, otherwise known as the Sons of Liberty, became tired of Britian's taxes and decided to prove a point by dumping a massive amount of tea into the Boston Harbor. This angered the British more and caused them to create the Intolerable Acts. these acts are what pushed the American's to officially revolt, resulting in the American Revolution. -
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The American Revolution
After many incidents which caused extreme tension between the Americans and the British, which included the Boston Massacre and the Bost Tea Party, the American Revolution was started. This ultimately led to Americas independence from Britian and influenced many other revolutions around the world.
